Cable television networks refer to communications networks that are used to transmit cable television signals and/or other information between one or more service providers and a plurality of subscribers over cable and/or fiber. Most conventional cable television networks comprise hybrid fiber-coaxial networks. In these networks, fiber optic cables are typically used to carry signals from the headend facilities of the service provider to various distribution points, while less expensive coaxial cable may be used, for example, to carry the signals into neighborhoods and/or into individual homes. However, it will also be understood that the cable television network may comprise a completely fiber optic network or a completely coaxial cable network as well.
Typically, the service provider is a cable television company that may have exclusive rights to offer cable television services in a particular geographic area. The subscribers in a cable television network may include, for example, individual homes, apartments, hotels and other multi-dwelling units, and various businesses and other entities. The service provider may broadcast a broad variety of cable television channels to subscribers over the cable television network. The cable television network may provide more channels, and often provide better signal quality, than “broadcast” television signals that may be received via the open airways.
The cable television service provider may offer subscribers a variety of different services. By way of example, typically several “tiers” of cable television service will be offered, ranging from, for example, a “basic” service that might include, for example about a dozen channels, to full service offerings that might include as many as several hundred channels. Premium movie and sports channels are often made available for a separate monthly subscription fee, and subscribers may also be able to order special packages of sporting or other events on a “pay-per-view” basis. Many cable television service providers also now often offer other services such as, for example, movies-on-demand which allow a customer to download a movie for viewing during a fixed time period or services completely unrelated to television including, for example, broadband Internet service and digital telephone service.
Consumers now typically can choose from multiple service providers that offer television, Internet and telephone services. In addition, as noted above, often subscribers can choose from a range of service plans that provide varying levels of service at different price points. As a result of these range of choices, cable television network subscribers may fairly frequently add or drop service and/or change the service plan to which they subscribe. Each time this occurs, it may be necessary to configure the cable television network to provide the selected services to the subscriber in question.
A “tap” refers to a connection to a communications line. In cable television networks, a tap is connected to a cable of the network in order to provide a port that carries signals between the network and a particular subscriber's premise (e.g., a house, apartment, business, etc.). Typically, a tap unit that includes multiple taps (e.g., eight) is connected in series to the network cable, and each tap includes an output port that may be connected to a subscriber premise (i.e., a cable that runs from the output port into the subscriber's premise). Thus, one tap unit may be used to provide a plurality of subscribers (e.g., eight) access to the cable network. An “addressable tap” is a tap that may be turned on or off from a remote location. An “addressable tap unit” is a tap unit that includes at least one addressable tap. Using addressable taps, a cable television service provider may activate or deactivate service to a particular subscriber from a remote location.